Sculling device



J. C. ONEILL.

scuumangwce. APPLICATION FILED AUG.15. 1919.

13573111, Patented 0ct.26,1920.

WITNESS- mmvron WW i ATTORNEY.

Jos'ErH c. ONEILL, or ramv'ron, NEWJEBSEY.

' SCULLING DEVICE.

Application filed August 15,1919. Serial No. 317,771.

To aZZ whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, JosnrrrC. ONEILL, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sculling Devices, of

which the following. is a specification.

The invention relates to boats and more particularly to propelling devices for small crafts and has for an object to provide a simple device for sculling to propel the craft through the water. j

The invention comprehends among other features a support for an oar, the support being preferably attached to the stern of a rowboat and the like, to position the oar so that a reciprocating movement of the latter will act in the nature of a propeller to force the craft to head through the water. To this end the support is suitably anchored in a socket and the oar is swiveled thereon in a manner which will insure proper operation of the'latter to accomplish the desired result.

In the'further disclosure; of the invention, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, constituting a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in all j the views, and in which;-

Figure 1is a rear elevation of the de-- vice, the blade end of the oar being cut away to show the stem of'the oar in cross section.

Fig. 2is a plan view.

Fig. 3-is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 3-3 in Fig. 1, and

Fig. 4.is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 4- 1 in Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly to the views, the numeral 10 indicates the stern of a boat, such as a row boat or skiif and the numeral 11, a socket which is suitably attached by screws 12 to the stern of the skiff. The socket proper is of a tapered form to receive a tapered stem 13 formed integral with 5 a support 14, the latter comprising a closed loop 15 having the upperjportion 16 thereof straight and the remaining portion 17 of the loop curved and formed with a beveled surface 18. Midway of the straight portion 16, the support is formed with a longitudinal bored projection 19 through which passes loosely, a swivel element 20, the latter being inserted from the lower end to project up through the projection and receive a plurality of nuts 21 which support the swivel element in a depending position permitting it to be readily rotated or reciprocated. I

A combined clamp and oar holder 22 for an car 23 is provided to support the oar relative to the loopof the supportand consists of a plate 24 formed with notched lugs 25, a band or a strap 26, being arranged to encircle theoar 23 around the stem thereof with the extremities of the band terminat ing in, threaded; portions 27 which pass through the notches of the lugs 25 and receive nuts 28. The latter when screwed up on the threaded portion, abut against the faces of the lugs, being adapted to frictionally tlghten and secure the band 26 around the oar and thus also rigidly hold the plate 24 to the stem of the oar. One end of the plate 2 1 is formed with a hook 29 the plate is clampedtightly upon the oar, is. passed through an eyelet 30 formed on the lower end of the swivel element 20 and then when the plate is-clamped around the oar by the band 2 6 in the manner mentioned, a portion of the periphery of the oarwill hook in constant engagement with the eyespecificatiorrof Letters Patent. i P t t d O t 2 1 2 I which before let 30 and preventing accidental disengagement of one relative to the other.

Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that particular care must betaken in the manufacture of the device described so that when the oar is in use, the normal angularity thereof relative to the horizontal, will bring the periphery of a portionof the band 26 into contact with the beveled surface 18 so that these two metallic parts, in sliding frictional contact when the oar is in use, will prevent the wooden portion of the oar from becoming worn out, it being apparent that contact of the. wooden portion of the car with thefclosed loop, would quickly wear the groove orgouge into the wooden part. of

the oar and in avery short time render the same unfit for use. Furthermore the art of sculling a boat isone which with the ordinary oar and row lock of the usual design, would not be effectively carried out except by persons who are skilled in the proper manipulation of the car to accomplish the result. With my form of sculling device,

however, it is only necessary to have the handle end of the oar in a reciprocating manner and by an upward pressure, main lock.

tain frictional contact between the band 26 and the beveled surface 18, thus causing the curvature of the beveled surface to govern the stroke or movement of the blade end of the oar and thus naturally bringabout the sculling operation. By providing this form of contact between the metal attachment on the oar and the closed loop, proper opera: tion of the oar is insured and at the end of each stroke, the oar engaging'the extremities of the straight cross portion 16, will limitthe reciprocating action of the blade end of the car thus defining the extent of the stroke, it being well known that if the blade end of the oar is carried too far in the sculling stroke, the propulsion of the craft will be materially hampered.

I am aware that various forms of sculling devices have been used heretofore andthat the general form of sculling apparatus now generally employed is an ordinary oar with the usual form of U shaped row In this instance the oar tends to jump out of the oar lock, soon becomes worn out at its point of contact with the row lock and the extent of the stroke and the effect of manipulation of the oar to bring about the sculling operation is not'defined and therefore the proper manipulation of the oar can not ordinarily be accomplished except by persons who are skilled by long experience in the art of sculling.

With my device it is only necessary to follow the simple direction of reciprocating 'member, the said body and the said loop having a curved portion and a straight portion with the curved portion provided with a beveled surface, and an oar clamp having swiveled depending connection with the straight portion of the body with a portion.

of the clamp in frictional contact with and adapted to operate over the beveled portion of the body.

2. A device for sculling a boat with an oar comprising a socket member for connection with the boat, a body defining a curved loop and for removable connection with the socket member, said body and saidloop having an inclined surface and an oar engaging clamp having a portion thereof operating over the inclined surface of the body to define the stroke of the oar when the latter is actuated. p In testimony whereof I aflix my'signature.

JOSEPH o. ONEILL. 

